Automobile wheel



May 22, 1951 J. b. BRoslcK AUTOMOBILE WHEEL 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Sept. 29, 1948 www m af 5. MB4 J t 1 3 0 4 /Z /5 f5 May 22, l95l J. D. BRoslcK 2,553,891

AUTOMOBILE WHEEL Filed Sept. 29, 1948 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENToR. Jaf//V a. 5f? 05m/f,

)ally/Myjjm Patented May 22, 1951 UNITED STATES ATENT OFFICE AUTOMOBILE WHEEL John D. Brosck, Fayette City, Pa.

Application September 29, 1948, Serial No. 51,679

1 Claim.

This invention relates to improvements in automobile wheels.

An important object of the invention is to provide an improved wheel rim of the centrally channelled or drop-center type so formed and equipped with tire-retaining ange attaching means as to materially increase the strength of this type of rim, to provide a relatively light, yet sturdy, rim structure and which will permit the ready mounting of a tire thereon and removal of the same therefrom.

A particularly important novel characteristic of the invention resides in the provision of a drop center type rim, the central channeled part of which has both of its side walls integrally formed with the intermediate wall thereof and extending parallel with the plane of the wheel,

and the annular side portions of the rim being continuous with said side walls, in conjunction with a removable tire-retaining flange at one side of the rim provided with an attaching part of ring formation having a portion extending laterally inwardly from the inner marginal portion of the tire-retaining flange to fit within an annular side portion of the rim, and said attaching part having a radially extending portion extending inwardly from the inner marginal part of said laterally extending portion to flt against the adjoining side wall of the rim.

A further object of the invention is to provide a rim having thereon an improved form of safety rim part of strong, satisfactory construction adapted to engage the ground and reduce the drop upon the deation of a tire on the rim.

The invention, with other objects and advantages thereof, and the particular construction', combination and arrangement of parts comprising the same, will be understood from the following detailed description when considered in connection with the accompanying drawings forming part hereof and illustrating one embodiment of the invention.

In the drawings;

Fig. 1 is a vertical transverse section of a wheel construction in accordance with the present invention;

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary vertical section of the wheel with the tire deated;

Fig. 3 is a side elevation looking from the outer side of the Wheel, the annular extension of the hub being broken away to show some of the nuts and bolts for securing the removable tire retaining iiange to the rim;

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary vertical section; and

Fig. 5 is a detailed transverse sectional view on the line 5-5 of Fig. 4.

While a preferred embodiment of the invention is shown in the drawings, it will be understood that minor changes and modifications may be made in the particular construction shown and the invention may be embodied in other forms as will appeal to those skilled in the art and falling within the scope of the appended claim without departing from the spirit of the invention.

Referring to a detailed description of the particular embodiment of the invention illustrated in the drawings, the wheel shown has a body part I consisting of a concave sheet metal disk terminating at its periphery in a laterally extending fiange 2, and having a flat central part 3 adapted to be detachably secured by bolts 4 and nuts 5 cn a conventional hub 6.

In accordance with the present invention, a rim is provided comprising a central channeled part II and annular side portions l2. The central channeled part has both of its side walls I3 and I4 formed integral with its bottom wall I5, and the annular side portions I2 of the rim are both formed continuously with the side walls I3 and I4, the latter extending parallel with the plane of the wheel. The rim is attached to the lateral ange 2 of the body I in any suitable way as by rivets I6 as shown.

The rim has tire-retaining flanges I'I and I8. The `removable tire-retaining ange I'I is provided with an attaching part of ring formation of inverted L-shape in cross section, the same comprising an annular portion I9 extending laterally inwardly from the inner marginal portion of said flange, and a radially extending portion 29 extending inwardly from the inner marginal portion of the laterally extending portion I9. The laterally extending annular portion I9 of the attaching part is of a width corresponding substantially to the width of an annular side portion I2 of the rim and of a diameter to fit within the same, and the radially extending portion 2i! of the attaching ring part is of a width corresponding substantially to the width of the adjoining annular side wall I3 of the rim and adapted to fit thereagainst.

The radially extending portion 25 is secured to the adjoining side wall I3 of the rim by bolts 2l and nuts 22. The bolts 2|, as shown, have oval-shaped heads with smooth outer faces. Directly adjoining the heads, the bolts have flattened portions 2Ia to t correspondingly shaped apertures in the side wall I3. The bolts are preferably welded to the side wall of the rim. Instead of securing the bolts 2i to the wall I3, the nuts may be fixedly secured thereto, in which case the nuts will be formed with smooth, rounded faces at the inner side thereof.

As will be appreciated, the side wall I3 and adjoining side portion I2 of the rim against which the radially extending portion 29 and the laterally extending portion I9 of the attaching ring fits form extended continuous bearing surfaces for the attaching part of the removable iange I'I, and, with said side wall I 3 and the adjoining side portion I2 of the rim formed continuously with the bottom wall I thereof, an especially strong rigid satisfactory construction is provided. The

structure can be economically manufactured and the particular ring formation of the attaching part of the flange facilitates the quick positioning of the removable tire-retaining flange on the rim. 23 designates a tire on the rim` A hub cap is provided comprising a main lbody part 24 and an annular portion 25 extending outwardly from the periphery of the main part 2d. The annular extension 25 is of a diameter to extend over and conceal from view the securing bolts 2l and nuts Z2 when the hub cap is applied to the wheel, the peripheral portion of said annular extension being disposed within the lateral annular portion i9 of the attaching part of the tire retaining flange I 7 as shown. The hub cap has spring fingers 26 at its inner side to cooperate with an outer inturned marginal portion 2'I of an annular flange 28 on the wheel body I to detachably connect the hub cap thereto.

The rim is provided at one side with an emergency safety auxiliary rim part formed by extending the tire-retaining flange I8 that is integrally formed with the adjoining side portion I2 of the rim and is inwardly curved, this emergency rim part comprising a laterally extending outwardly curved portion 29 immediately adjoining the flange I8, and a radially extending p'orti'on 30 extending from said laterally extending portion and provided at its periphery with a tread 3l adapted to engage the ground and 'reduce the drop upon deflation of the tire. The outwardly 'curved portion '29 of the emergency rim part, as shown, is of substantially the same Width as the width of the inwardly curved Yflange I8, and the curvature of the same is substantially equal to the curvature of said flange. vThe particular shape of the auxiliary rim part and the formation of the same as a continuation of the flange I8 that is integral with the other rim structure, as will be appreciated, provides a particularly strong, rigid, serviceable construction.

The tread 3| of the safety rim part may be of any suitable form and may, if desired, include a rubber tire (not shown). In the particular exemplification of the invention illustrated in the drawings, the safety rim part is located at the inner side of the rim but it may be provided on either the inner side or the outer side of the What I claim is:

A vehicle wheel including a rim comprising an integrally formed channeled central part having side walls extending substantially parallel with the plane of the wheel, and annular side portions extending outwardly from the periphery of and formed A"continuously with said side walls, tire- .retaining fianges at opposite sides of the rim, one of said iianges being removable, said removable iiange having an attaching part of ring formation and L-shape in cross section, one of the anges of said attaching part tting against and being detachably secured .to one of the annular side walls o'f 'the rim, the tire-'retaining vfia-nge at the other side of the rim being integral with the adjoining annular side portion of the rim, said last mentioned -flange being axially inwardly curved concavely `with respect to the inner side of the wheel and being extended to provide an emergency safety rim part, the safety rim part comprising a curved portion of substantially the same axial width as the axial width of said last mentioned tire-retaining flange and the curvature of said curved portion being reverse to and substantially equal to the curvature of said last mentioned tire-retaining flange, said curved portion merging with said last mentioned tire-retaining flange along an area extending in a direction axially inwardly and radially outwardly, and an annular portion extending radially outwardly from the periphery o'f ysaid curved portion and having a tread surface Yat its periphery to engage the ground upon 'deflation of the tire.

JOHN D. BROSICK.

REFERENCES CITED The -following references are of record in the le of this patent:

UNITED STATES I?.Li'iITlNISy Number A'Name Date 1,936,877 La Brie Nov. 28, 1933 v2,086,358 Godfrey i July 6, 1937 2,132,298 Hunt Oct. 4, 1938 2,145,525 Pedro Jan. V`31, 1939 2,209,803 Webb July 30, 17940 FORI'G PATENTS Number Country Date 645,600 France i Oct. 27, 1928 680,702 France May 5, 1930 

